Get Out Loudoun July 2023

GET OUT LOUDOUN

Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, and hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.

CONTRIBUTORS

Dana Armstrong Renss Greene

Jan Mercker

Norman K. Styer ON THE COVER

Photo by Renss Greene

Cousins Hailey Zurschmeide and Andrew Taylor represent a new generation of leadership at the family businesses Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Henway Hard Cider near Bluemont.

TO ADVERTISE

Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com

getoutloudoun.com

Inside:

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ART SCENE

Purcellville’s Claudia Rivera art journey has taken her to explore vibrantly colored sea creature and create distinctive egg-head paintings.

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HISTORY

From Native American travel routes to Civil War crossroads, the history of Lucketts will be explored during a special event this month.

OUTDOORS

Over the past 30 years, the Zurschmeide family’s farm businesses have grown into Loudoun’s largest agritourism center. Now a new generation is stepping in to continue that work.

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DESTINATIONS

Where’s Waldo? Businesses in downtown Leesburg want you to join in the search this month.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for July.

Welcome to the Adventure Trail

Loudoun is revered among hikers for its outdoor trails, most notably a dramatic, swooping 13mile stretch of the world-famous Appalachian Trail in the Blue Ridge known as The Rollercoaster. Yet, so far, the county has never had an Adventure Trail—a guide to direct hikers, thrill seekers, adrenaline junkies and regular fitness enthusiasts to The Rollercoaster and other pulse-racing activities in Loudoun.

That changes this month when Visit Loudoun launches the official LoCo Adventure Trail, a campaign to promote not only energetic outdoor adventures such as hiking, zip-lining, cycling, horseback riding and kayaking, but indoor adventures, too—everything from indoor skydiving at iFly to go-karting at Autobahn Indoor Speedway and the ropes course at Summit Ropes, which is located just minutes from the new Silverline Metro stations.

Featured adventures on the trail will run the gamut from the casual to the extreme—a pulse-racing calling card.

Let’s start with indoors. Did you know that Loudoun has two axe-throwing venues in which to channel your inner Medieval marauder? Axes & Os, which opened in Sterling in 2019 and

has already held a leg of the World Axe Throwing League was joined by Elysium Axe Bar in Purcellville in 2022, a nightclub-style complex with eight throwing lanes and state-of-the-art projection technology that creates targets for participants to aim at—everything from video game characters to the squares in tic tac toe. Fans of an existing Loudoun trail—the LoCo Ale Trail—will be pleased to discover the venue serves a range of craft beer including from local breweries Lost Rhino, Vanish and Bear Chase. Indeed, a promotional aspect of the LoCo Adventure Trail will be to direct participants to cafés, bars, restaurants and refreshment stops close to activities. Runners or cyclists on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, for example, will be able to locate Vino 9 in Paeonian Springs, or Carolina Brothers Pit BBQ in Ashburn, both just off the trail.

Loudoun is a mecca for outdoor adventures of course, with thrills to be found on land and water. The Potomac River is more than a border with Maryland: the trail will direct visitors to kayaking and paddle boarding opportunities on the river.

One heart-pounding adventure for friends, families and corporate groups that will be featured on the trail: paintball. Pev’s Paintball Park south of Leesburg is a 48-acre venue with 14 themed playing fields that include a fortress with three watch towers and two man-made rock fields with caves. Nothing gets the blood racing quite like being under fire while hiding in a prison guard watchtower.

Follow @Visitloudoun on social and check out visitloudoun.org to find your next adventure, then share your experience using #LoCoAdventure.

Art by Loca Lola: Purcellville Artist Creates Egg-cellent Paintings

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

Tender brisket, crisp baked mac and cheese, baked beans in a CorningWare dish, and cool lemonade are the makings of a picture-perfect “Summer BBQ”—one of the latest paintings by Purcellville-based acrylic artist Claudia Rivera, a.k.a. Art by Loca Lola.

The most surprising part of her surrealist, gingham-patterned piece is not its mouth-watering, life-like food depictions, but its subject in the background: a person with an egg for a head.

“The Egghead series is something I completely made up one day. I wanted to experiment with abstract art and something that didn’t really make sense, but in a way it did,” Rivera said.

“The series is inclusive to everyone, and I chose

not to add a face so that the viewers can insert themselves or connect with the painting far easier.”

The artist behind the Eggheads describes her mind as “a hodge podge” of all the things she’s seen in her life.

With Rivera’s father being in the Army, she was born in Honolulu. Years later, when her father and her family were stationed in Germany, Rivera’s mother began drawing for murals and comic books.

“Seeing that as a kid at the time, I was really inspired. I was old enough to admire her drawings. And a very distinct turning point in my life was when she showed me a book of this artist named Wyland,” she said.

Robert Wyland is best known for his paintings

Art by Loca Lola

Claudia Rivera sits among her works inspired by renowned marine artist Robert Wyland.

and murals of whales, sea turtles, and other marine life. The intricacy and vibrancy of his work inspired Rivera to start drawing.

By middle and high school, Rivera’s family had moved to Loudoun County, and she was sketching characters and fashion designs. She graduated from Loudoun Valley High School in 2009 and then from Northern Virginia Community College with a liberal arts degree.

She worked in retail for years after college, keeping her art as a side hobby. Through the encouragement and support of her family and friends, she finally decided to give being a fulltime professional artist a chance.

In 2021, Rivera applied for a business license under the name Art by Loca Lola, an homage to her Instagram username circa 2015 and her family’s Puerto Rican heritage. Thus began her painting journey into Eggheads and more.

“The very first [Egghead] I did very much had a ‘50s farmhouse-style retro vibe to it. And I really, really love classic films. I love anything that just has this brightness to it. I love vivid colors, I love food. And so that piece reflected this super bright, retro breakfast scene,” Rivera said.

“From that, I started playing around with timeframes. And a lot of people were saying, ‘I’d like to see my culture in it’ or ‘I would love to see a guy cooking.’ Everyone started pitching in, and I like that it became not so much a series, but I’d call it an Egghead universe.”

Part still life and part portraiture, her Eggheads have appeared on French Baroque and English Elizabethan era queens, Caravaggio-style maidens, Asian and Latin home cooks with culturally specific foods or ingredients before them, and characters from “The Last Of Us” video game turned HBO series.

But there is much more to Rivera than her eggs. Rivera’s art is born out of her diverse passions for pop culture, fashion, food, and the natural world leading to a range of artistic series. In her Mini Food/Drink studies, she paints a fruit tart, taco, Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour, and more on small canvases, sometimes with a receipt from a “Loca Lola” establishment. In her Snakes & Stones series, she intertwines jewelry with reptiles. And in her Octopi series, she takes inspiration from her childhood role model, Wyland, to create larger-than-life cephalopods in vibrant hues.

“I think it’s how segmented I am. I’m just a real big geek—I love a lot of things and I also always got the notion that people expected artists to be one style all the time. I’ve seen it for myself, and I never quite got that,” said Rivera.

In addition to selling prints of her work—and even her own Egghead series keychains—at art festivals around the DMV and through her social media, Rivera is also open to commissions. Past commissions include painted mannequins, purses, jean jackets, tennis shoes, and portraits of loved ones.

“[Commissions don’t] necessarily have to be based on anything I’ve done. It can be completely brand new. And oftentimes commissions that are very complex or way out of my box and actually really help me in terms of skill and stretching my imagination. So I’m definitely open for anything as well as what I do currently have,” she said.

Rivera’s future goals for her art are to continue expanding her Egghead universe, increase her social media presence by posting more reels, and launch a website of her work, with the ultimate dream of having her own studio space and gallery.

She is also looking forward to participating at Superfine Art Fair in DC from Oct. 26-29, where she’ll have a booth set up with her aquatic paintings and, of course, Eggheads.

“I get a kick out of painting food and intertwining food with the Egghead series because it makes it almost like this wholesome, hearty feeling,” Rivera said.

“A lot of people come by my booth [at events] and they’re like, ‘Oh man, I’m hungry.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, I did my job!’”

To view more of Claudia Rivera’s art or purchase her work, visit her Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (@ArtbyLocaLola). Stay tuned for her website, coming out soon.

Exploring Lucketts History

The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area and the Lucketts Ruritan Club are teaming up for a special history fair on Sunday, July 16.

Enjoy a family-oriented afternoon of children’s activities, artifacts, living history, and other activities to highlight events that took place in the area from early Native American communities, to the American Revolution, to the Civil War, and through the 20th century.

On modern Rt. 15, Lucketts sits within one of the oldest roads in Virginia. Known in the 18th century as the Carolina Road, the northsouth thoroughfare spanned from Pennsylvania through South Carolina and was first used by Native Americans as they traveled for trade and hunting between the mountains and the Potomac River. In the mid-1700s, the road was used by thousands of German and Quaker settlers finding new lives in Loudoun County. During the American Revolution, the community that would become Lucketts grew in importance as the movement of vital supplies, troops. and prisoners of war would travel the roads in between fighting in the northern and southern campaigns. As the Civil War approached in 1861, Lucketts was made on more than one occasion into a battlefield for skirmishing troops crossing the border between Maryland and Virginia.

The program runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lucketts Community Center, at 42361 Lucketts Road north of Leesburg.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10. Learn more at piedmontheritage.org.

Above: A historical marker highlights the role Rt. 15 played in Civil War troop movements.

Left: The 110-year-old Lucketts Community Center building will be the site of a local history fair July 16.

OLDSTONESCHOOL.ORG

ON HILLSBORO’S GAP STAGE

FRIDAY NIGHTS

JUNE 30 - SEPT. 1

Lawn opens at 6 p.m.

Local Beers, Wines

Ford’s Fish Shack, Moo-Thru Ice Cream

JUNE 30 The Darby Brothers

JULY 7 Born Cross-Eyed

JULY 14 Texas Chainsaw Horns

JULY 21 Dunlap & Mabe

JULY 28 Jules & The Agreeables

AUG. 4 The Dara James Band

AUG. 11 Rick Reaves Jazz Band

AUG. 25 Don’t Look Up

SEPT. 1 Mostly Fab

SATURDAY, AUG. 19 3 - 10 p.m. FREE

CarrollCountyRamblers

KingStreetBluegrassBand

Furnace Mountain Band

Local Beers

Wines, Food

Kids Fun

Scan to Reserve Tables & for More Information

Happenings

HUNT COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

July kicks off with a full weekend of entertainment in and around Middleburg.

The Hunt Country Music Festival runs June 30 to July 2 at the Middleburg Community Center and in area churches located in Middleburg and Upperville. The event brings music lovers together to enjoy inspiring performances amid the bucolic setting of rolling hillsides, vineyards and historical sites.

Concerts range jazz, Broadway and pops to sacred and music popular through history. The opening show Friday night features a Jazz Club with Quentin Walston Trio. On Saturday, a music crawl features mini concerts of music from the 1770s to 1970s and a performance by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band. Sunday opens with a fundraising brunch with Abby Middleton, a Loudouner who earned a Hele Hayes Award nomination for her performance in The Little Mermaid. In the afternoon, Nathaniel “Nat” Gumbs, the director of chapel music at Yale University, performs a solo organ recital and leads area singers in a Gospel Sing.

Tickets may be purchased to individual concerts or the Festival Pass provides access to all events. Full details are at huntcountrymusicfestival.org.

PURCELLVILLE CELEBRATES WITH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

The Town of Purcellville will hold its 10th annual Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, July 22 at Dillon’s Woods in the Fireman’s Field complex. One of the town’s signature community events, the festival draws residents and visitors alike to enjoy locally made food, wine, and beer from area vendors as well as an afternoon of live music performances.

On stage this year are Drivin’ South, Jules and the Agreeables, and the Franklin Park Big Band. The festival runs from 2 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the gate.

To improve the festival experience, drink tickets for beer and wine will be sold at a central location on-site, and attendees will take those tickets to the participating winery or brewery of their choice to get a drink. Bottles of wine will be sold the same way.

Go to purcellvillewineandfood.com for those details and to purchase drink tickets or reserve your VIP table package.

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31 October One Vineyard

7 Loudoun St., SW, Leesburg Octoberonevineyard.com

32 Old Farm Winery 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com

33 Otium Cellars 18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com

34 Stone Tower Winery

19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., L’burg stonetowerwinery.com

35 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com

36 Sunset Hills Vineyard 38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

37 Terra Nebulo 39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com

38 Three Creeks Winery 18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com

39 Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com

40 Village Winery 40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com

41 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards 38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com

42 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com

BREWERIES

1 Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com

2 B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com

3 Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com

4 Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com

5 Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

6 Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com

7 Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com

8 Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com

9 Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

10 Dirt Farm Brewing 18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont dirtfarmbrewing.com

11 Dynasty Brewing Company 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com

12 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

13 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com

14 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap

15 House 6 Brewing 4427 Atwater Dr., Ashburn house6brewing.com 16

43 Walsh Family Wine 16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com

44 Williams Gap Vineyards 35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com

45 Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com

BREWERIES & WINERIES

1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com

2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com

3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com

20 Old 690 Brewing Company 15670 Ashbury Church Rd., Hillsboro old690.com

21 Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com

22 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA

23 Solace Brewing Company 42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com

24 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

25 The Craft of Brewing 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn thecraftob.com

26 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Ln., Lucketts vanishbeer.com

27 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery 38506 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com

4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery 22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com

Growing Up GCF

A NEW GENERATION TAKES THE LEAD AT AN AGRITOURISM INSTITUTION

BY JAN MERCKER

Thirty years ago, agritourism pioneers Kate and Mark Zurschmeide launched Great Country Farms in Bluemont. Now, a new generation of Zurschmeide cousins from the sprawling western Loudoun clan are taking on leadership roles at the farm and its sister craft beverage operations—with fresh ideas and big plans.

Kate and Mark’s daughter, Hailey Zurschmeide, and her cousin, Andrew Taylor, were born in 1993, the year GCF was launched. The 30-yearold cousins have both taken on pivotal roles in the family business.

“If we were to hone in on our focus, it’s really that family experience and connecting people to the farm again, getting them out here, getting fresh air and all of that. Loudoun’s different than when we started,” Hailey said. “This is a really great way for us to refocus energy on the onsite experience.”

Hailey, who grew up on the farm, is the family business’s chief vision officer, charged with

making sure the farm works smoothly with its nearby sister properties: Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Henway Hard Cider. Andrew, who grew up in nearby Round Hill, is general manager of Great Country Farms. Like many of the cousins in their generation, both started out helping with pony rides and kettle corn as kids.

Hailey and Andrew said they didn’t necessarily envision going into the family business. Andrew graduated from Christopher Newport University with an economics degree and Hailey is a Virginia Tech grad.

“I don’t know if either of us thought we would be where we are now. It kind of came to fruition as we were both in college,” Hailey said.

It was an hours-long conversation during a drive back to Virginia after a family reunion in Indiana during their senior year in college that the spark of returning to the family farm was lit.

“We were so jazzed about what they were doing out there and the opportunities we had in the year we were graduating—so much so that we took a wrong turn and ended up in Tennessee rather than Virginia,” Hailey said. “I think that’s when we were both starting to envision what it could look like as the next generation coming in and what kind of things were important to us.”

Photo by Renss Greene

Cousins Hailey Zurschmeide and Andrew Taylor were both born in 1993—the year their family’s business Great Country Farms was launched.

For Andrew, the idea of farming as a career dawned on him as a college student.

“I never thought of this as a unique experience growing up until I went to college and realized not everybody grows up on a farm,” he said. “I could either go away from it or I could embrace it. It’s the best life. I love what I do. I think people chase that their whole lives.”

Andrew started out running the farm’s CSA program after college and moved on to orchard management before working his way to the GM spot. Since taking over farm operations, he’s overseen a shift in focus to the agritourism experience.

“What we were witnessing was that people weren’t coming for the food itself, but the experience,” he said. “I started realizing that with our sunflowers, people were coming for the feeling that they’re having walking through the sunflower field, to get the picture for Instagram. It’s a family event.”

Andrew, who is the father of two young children, has helped ramp up innovative family-oriented fun at the farm, including educational farm play and a farm ninja obstacle course. GCF will be adding a splash pad this summer to boost the experience for young visitors. This year, GCF has let go of the CSA program that got the farm up and running in 1993 and shifted to on-farm pick-your-own and family-oriented experiences.

“We’re kind of at the point now where we are our own customer,” said Andrew, who loves experiencing the farm through his 4-year-old son’s eyes “Since we’ve had kids, my perspective on the farm has changed. It’s kind of like a nonstop experiment. I’ll see a trend and I’ll say let’s try it.” Andrew has also moved the farm in the direction of regenerative and sustainable farming practices.

“You start looking at that next generation and it makes you realize you’re not trying to just get by this year, you’re really trying to build for the future and that really starts with the soil. We’re confident we’re offering a better, healthier product to our customers too. We have been in the community for the last 30 years. We want to make sure we’re going to be here for another 30 years,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re just stewards of this beautiful property in Loudoun County. It’s our job to take care of it.”

Meanwhile, as the family-owned business has

expanded to craft beverages over the decades, Hailey focuses on keeping the farm and craft beverage businesses working in harmony. She started as the wine club coordinator at Bluemont Vineyard and took over as the winery’s general manager before moving into her current role.

“We had a really cool opportunity to look at how the businesses can better support each other. What product lines can we expand on by having a focus on the farm?” Hailey said.

This year, the Zurschmeides are expanding their winery operation to Texas. After one cousin spent time in Austin, the entire family fell in love with the surrounding Hill Country. Bluemont Vineyard Texas opened last month, and Hailey’s sister, Carly Zurschmeide, will head to Austin to run it after graduating from Virginia Tech this spring.

“We realized there’s this really cool wine community there. It’s very different from here. It was a community we wanted to be a part of,” Hailey said.

Running the farm and the sister properties has always been a family affair for Kate and Mark and the six GenX Zurschmeide siblings who grew up on a farm near Lincoln—and their 19 millennial and Gen Z children, several of whom now have children of their own. Hailey’s brother Nick works for Bluemont Vineyard on the culinary side, while her brother Jake works in vineyard operations. Another cousin Sean Zurschmeide oversees construction projects on the family properties. Around half of the 19 cousins in Andrew and Hailey’s generation work for the family business, but everyone pitches in on busy weekends when help is needed—from driving a tractor to selling doughnuts.

“Everyone’s involved whether they want to or not,” Andrew said. “You’ve got to laugh every day. If you take yourself too seriously out here, there’ll be a cousin ready to make fun of you.”

“I think the biggest thing is to recognize that everyone brings something to the table, whether that is like Andrew and I putting our full time or [family members] coming in and being that saving grace as needed,” Hailey said. “That openness and recognition among the family that everybody is bringing something to the table.”

For more information about Great Country Farms and upcoming events this spring and summer, go to greatcountryfarms.com.

Waldo Comes to Leesburg—Somewhere

BY RENSS GREENE

Keep a careful eye out in Leesburg this month, and you may just catch sight of a familiar redand-white shirt and round glasses.

Twenty-five downtown businesses, selling everything from books to beads to beer, will have a familiar visitor for families to find in a town-wide game of Where’s Waldo. Find him in at least 10 different stores, and shoppers can earn fun, family-friendly prizes like temporary tattoos and a $1 off a Where’s Waldo book, plus be entered into a drawing for more prizes donated from local businesses like Where’s Waldo books.

It’s something Birch Tree Bookstore founder Leah Fallon hopes will not only be fun for visitors, but also will build community spirit and bring more traffic to Leesburg’s downtown small businesses.

“During the summer, we've been getting a lot more tourists, and that is what we see primarily in the summer. And I know that a lot of the local community, they see a lot of roadblocks to visiting downtown,” Fallon said. “A lot of people that I talk to don't know what's downtown, they don't know where to park, so I want to give local people a reason to come downtown, some kind

of game or activity for their kids and for even adults.”

Fallon brought Waldo to Leesburg through the annual Find Waldo Local event offered by Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association. Waldo is an in-demand guy—there are only 300 openings across the country for businesses like Birch Tree to participate, she said.

She thinks Waldo is the right guy for the job— since Waldo’s first appearance in 1987, the books by Martin Handford have sold more than 80 million copies, been translated into more than 30 languages, and become a mainstay on bookstore shelves, including at Birch Tree. And more than 30 years after the first “Where’s Wally?” book published—the character’s name in the UK where he first appeared—a generation of Waldo seekers have grown up and had their own kids to whom they can pass down their books.

Fallon said she expects the Where’s Waldo event to bring out all ages.

“When I started this business, I saw it all over Instagram and I was like, ‘what is this?’ And I started Birch tree really wanting to connect with the community, and it seems like such a cool community event,” she said.

Photo by Renss Greene Birch Tree Bookstore founder Leah Fallon brought the iconic game of Where’s Waldo to 25 downtown Leesburg businesses during the month of July.

Birch Tree Bookstore founder Leah Fallon and Foliage Plant Shop founder Ami Mason will hide Waldo—and a pair of his circular blackrimmed glasses—somewhere in their shared space in the month of July as shoppers try to seek him out.

And she hopes it will drive shoppers to businesses off the beaten path—like hers. While Birch Tree is located on Market Street, one of Leesburg’s main thoroughfares, it’s a little off the usual pedestrian path along King Street. The businesses in that building, 9 and 11 West Market St., have started what they call the West Market collective to support one another.

“I see a lot of the struggles, especially with the side streets, that are newer businesses trying to get people on our street. And it is a struggle,” she said. “So, we’re always trying to come up with creative ways to bring people down here— just turn the corner.”

She’s brought together a broad range of businesses all across downtown. Coffee shops like Goosecup and King Street Coffee, Leesburg

Beads, eateries like Mocatinas and Buford’s Biscuits, boutiques like Madisonbelle and Ashby Mae Children’s Boutique, shops like Sunflower Shack or Plum Grove Cyclery and the Saturday farmers market are all taking part.

“I remember Where’s Waldo books when they first came out,” Black Hoof Brewing founder Bill Haase said. “I always had fun with those books, and I think it’s a good way to pass that on to other generations and other people.”

He said he also wants to bring more people to town.

Now Showing

Nokesville│August 26 at ONO Offshore in Chantilly

School of Rock - Summer Camp Musical

June 23, 24, 30 & July 1 at 7:00pm and June 25 & July 2 at 2:00pm

The Diary of Anne Frank - Summer Camp Staged Play

July 22, 23 & 29 at 7:00pm and July 23, 29 & 30 at 2:00pm

▪ Magic ▪ Improv ▪ Drag Cabarets ▪ Sketch Comedy Shows

Check out more upcoming shows on our website! All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted.

Registration is still open for Summer Camps for ages 3 - 19

“We definitely want a vibrant community that draws people from outside of this area to show them what Leesburg’s all about, and what we have to offer them,” Haase said.

Catty Corner Café founder Heather Donahue said her four kids grew up with Where’s Waldo books.

“He’s a good attraction for children, and we try and attract children and family members here.” she said. “It’s a good place to come, it’s a fun environment, and I think the cats might have fun playing with Waldo.” And she said Leesburg’s local small businesses are a collaborative group.

“With Leesburg, a lot of them are of course small businesses, but women-owned businesses, so we definitely look out for one another and support one another and try and keep each other swapping business and telling everybody about the other businesses out there,” she said.

Fallon said they see that what helps one downtown business helps all the businesses.

“I’m just slowly trying to find the local people and give them a reason to come downtown. Oftentimes, they come down here they eat before they come to the book club, and then they go to get drinks afterwards,” she said. “…I think the more that we can do that and be supportive of one another and know what’s going on, the stronger we’ll all be.”

She has a vision for downtown Leesburg, its community, and its locally owned small businesses.

“I want it to be a destination, not just for local people, but I want it to get on the map,” she said. “It'd be so cool that to have people coming from Chicago to visit downtown Leesburg. We have a lot of history in this area that people should know about. The more you support downtown, the more it supports the local community and the local economy.”

Look for a Waldo float in Leesburg’s Fourth of July parade, and for six-inch cutouts of Waldo peeking out from local shelves. Participating shops will have a “Shop Local, Find Waldo Here” sticker in the window.

Where’s Waldo? This July, he’ll be somewhere in these Leesburg businesses:

• Birch Tree Bookstore/Foliage Plant Shop

• Goosecup

• Zest Clothing & Co./Brick and Mortar Mercantile

• Muz & Rose

• Leesburg Farmers Market

• Buford’s Biscuits

• Range Global Goods

• Gruto’s Soft Serve

• Madisonbelle

• Leesburg Beads and Studio

• Black Hoof Brewing Company

• Mocatinas

• Neighbors: A Local Market

• Finch Knit & Sew Studio

• Very Virginia Shop

• 27 South Interiors

• SimplyBe Coffee

• Ashby Mae Children’s Boutique

• Books and Other Found Things

• Catty Corner Café

• Sunflower Shack

• Plum Grove Cyclery

• District Hemp Botanicals

• Gvino Enoteca

• King Street Coffee

The Loudoun County fair opens Tuesday, July 25 for a five-day run that will include carnival rides, concerts, rodeos, a demolition derby— and lots and lots of animals. Advance tickets are available online at tickets. loudouncountyfair.com. The cost is $15 per day/$20 after 5 p.m. for adults and $5 for kids. Weekly passes are $40 for patrons age 13 and up and $15 for kids. Children under 5 are free. There also is a one-time $5 parking fee good for the whole week.

Entertainment Highlights ««««««««««« « «

The Loudoun County Fair features entertainment and special activities throughout the week.

Tommy Wood: The county music recording artist performs Tuesday starting at 5 p.m.

Stoney Roberts Demolition Derby: The popular smash up returns for two rounds on Tuesday and Saturday nights in the outdoor arena.

Scales, Tails and Teeth: Jimmy Riffle, one of the stars of the hit show Gator Boys on Animal

Fun at the County Fair

The fair runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

The Loudoun County Fairgrounds is located west of Leesburg at 17558 Dry Mill Road. Go to loudouncountyfair.com for the complete schedule and other fair information.

Planet, and his crew bring display wildlife and demonstrate alligator wrestling during shows each day during the fair.

Wild West Showdown: Fast draws, a K9 flame jumper, knife throwing, and trick roping performances each day.

Carnival: Amusements of America offers rides and games starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday, and at noon Friday.

Bar C Ranch Petting Zoo: Get up close with farm and exotic animals each day.

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Jimmy Riffle, of the Animal Planet show "Gator Boys," demonstrates some wrangling moves during a performance at the 2022 Loudoun County Fair.

Alison Thoms: The singer, songwriter, and strummer performs original works and her interpretations of rock, pop, country, and blues songs written during the last seven decades on Wednesday with shows at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Pig Scramble: For a $20 entry fee, children ages 5 to 10 and ladies 18 and up compete to capture a pig starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

True Grit Rodeo: Enjoy bull riding, barrel racing, mini bull riding, and mutton busting Thursday and Friday nights.

Carolyn Eyerly: The D.C. Best Bluegrass Artist of 2022 Carolyn Eyerly performs solid bluegrass as well as classic country and soft rock tunes Friday, with shows at 5 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

Livestock Auction: The long-standing Friday night tradition allows Loudoun’s 4-H youth to sell their market-class project animals. Buyers can be individuals, families, groups or businesses.

Ian Vest: the Southwestern Virginia native performs a style of country music that is reminiscent George Strait and Randy Travis for shows on Saturday at noon and 3 p.m.

The Mullins Sisters: Deanna, Betty, and MaryLou perform country classics, today’s hits, and their original music at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

GETOUT

7.7.23

Born Cross-Eyed

Friday, July 7, 8 p.m.

Old Stone School, Hillsboro oldstoneschool.org

Hillsboro’s free Music in the Gap concert series offers a night of jam band Grateful Dead grooves. Plenty of room for lawn chairs and dancing.

7.15.23

Todd Wright

Saturday, July 15, 7 p.m.

Leesburg Town Hall, Leesburg idalee.org

Loudoun-based singer/songwriter Todd Wright returns to the Summer Jams stage for a free concert featuring his latest tunes and tales of weiner dogs.

7.8.23

High Noon

Saturday, July 8, 6 p.m.

Tarara Winery, Lucketts tararaconcerts.com

The East Coast's premier tribute to southern rock, performs the ‘70s classics of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, 38 Special and The Marshall Tucker Band.

7.19.23

Texas Hippie Coalition

Sunday, July 19, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg tallyhotheater.com

Best Bets

Fresh off the release of their seventh studio album, “The Name Lives On,” in April, the Texas southern metal led by vocalist Big Dad Ritch performs on the Leesburg stage.

7.22.23

The British Invasion

Saturday, July 22

Tarara Winery, Lucketts tararaconcerts.com

A night of classics from The Animals, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Dave Clark Five, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Searchers and more.

7.29.23

Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band Saturday, July 29, 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, Leesburg idalee.org

Add a festive island vibe to your summer with this free concert on the town green. Pack a picnic and bring a lawn chair.

7.28.23

Jules & The Agreeables

Friday, July 28, 8 p.m. Old Stone School, Hillsboro oldstoneschool.org

Juliana MacDowell performs with her talented band during Hillsboro’s free Friday evening concert series.

7.30.23

Dickey Betts Presents Great Southern Sunday, July 30, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg tallyhotheater.com

Guitar superstar Leroy Parnell subs in for Allman Brothers Band great Dickey Betts in the reformation of Bett’s hand-picked band performing a night of his southern rock classics and other ABB favorites.